Process of producing colored motion pictures



April? 8 1924.

A. P. KENNIS PROCESS OF PRODUCING OOLORED MOTION PICTURES Filed June 25.

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INVENTOR A- F. KE NNI a- ATTORNE FIE-.4-

Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

- sT TE ALEXIS P. KENNIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING COLORED- MOTION PICTURES.

Application filed June 23, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that ALEXIS P. KENNIS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 61 Poplar St., Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Colored Motion Pictures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in processes of producing natural colored continuous photographic films, such as are commonly employed for the production of motion pictures, and its leading object is to provide a process which permits of the use of the present equipment for photographical recording of scenes, etc., and the coloring of the positives obtained by the usual development process, without requiring the treatment of each picture by pen or brush under hand manipulation of a special artist, or a series of special artists.

The invention is realized by means of a printing process whereby a completed positive film is colored by a printing process, so that each portion of each picture is charged with its proper coloring, and the film thus colored will eificiently project the colored images, so that the effect on the screen will be satisfactory.

With the above and other objects in veiw the invention consists in certain new and useful objects, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a detail plan viewof a strip of negative film.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a sheet of sensitive film over which the negative film is laid, so as to produce a series of positive film forming strips.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the developed positive sheet printed in colors.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the colored strip ortions severed from each other and joined to provide a continuous film.

Referring to the accompanying drawings 5 designates a strip of negative film, which has a series of images 6 photographically recorded thereon. This strip 5 is laid over a flat sheet 7 of sensitized film and the images 6 transferred to the sheet 7 by the usual printing process employed in making positive photographic films.

Serial No. $79,917.

A series of positive strips 8 are thus developed on the sheet 7, which lay side by side in parallel relation. The sheet is provided with the usual perforations 9 to receive the teeth of the sprocket wheels employed in advancing the strip through the projecting machine. The usual marginal portion is provided on each side of each image.

After the positive sheet is thus prepared so as to carry a series of parallel strips of images, the strips of groups being suitably numbered or lettered in succession, the sheet is passed through a printing or lithographing machine and the images are colored in accordance with any predetermined design. The plate or printing surface from which the coloring is taken may be prepared in accordance with any system of color printing, as, the three color or any other system, and the sheet would thus be subjected to a series of rinting impressions, so that any color com ination would be given to the sheet.

In the case of animated cartoons the color scheme would be simple, but in the case of natural colored photographic films a more complex color scheme would be involved. In any case the colors for a very large number of individual pictures would be transferred to the film so as to be in perfect register and to produce a very large series of colored film pictures.

After the sheet is printed the strips are severed from each other and the ends are joined by means of the usual repair or celluoid cement, so that the pictures will be in roper succession, and the film is then rea y for projection.

My process provides means whereby the very tedious and ex ensive system of coloring photographic lms by hand is eliminated in multiple reproduction and a satisfactory colored film 1s produced which will meet every artistic and commercial requirement- In connection with animated cartoons or pictures a series of original cartoons are prepared, which are colored by hand. This series of hand colored originals serves as a standard for the printer or lithographer in preparing his color plates. The plates thus prepared from the original series of hand colored cartoons may be employed to produce a series of printed or lithographed pictures, in pro er succession, without the employment of p otographic methods in the transference of the image to the film or record material.

In connection with films having lmages photograhpically recorded thereon, an original is hand colored to serve as a standard or guide, and the necessary plates are prepared by the usual lithographic or printing methods, so that the reproductions of the original may be colored by mechanical printing action from the color plates prepared from the original hand colored film or record.

By using a sheet of transparent material carrying an exposed photographic emulsion and provided with a series of pictures, correct registration is obtained, and stretching during the action of feeding to the printing unit or during printing, is avoided, so that a correct coloring of the images can be obtained. It is apparent that when the sheet carrying the series of photographically impressed picture images is fed to printing position that all of the images carried thereby can be brought into simultaneous registration with the printing surfaces. As the printing action provides for simultaneous printing of all images on the sheet, it is apparent that equal pressure will be applied during the rinting action against the transparent vehlcle, so that there will be a uniform distribution of coloring matter. The result will be that each picture will be provided with an equal amount of coloring and its density will be equal to that of every other picture. By strip printing this is not possible, as the density of color varies too greatly to (permit of uniform color depth and grain istribution.

1 neeaoae Having described my invention I claim 1. The process of producing colored photographic films consisting in producing a transparent positive film sheet containing a series of consecutive images photographically impressed thereon, subjecting said sheet to a mechanical printing action upon printing surfaces calculated to simultaneously apply coloring matter to more than one image, then severing the sheet to provide independent film strips, and arranging the film strips to maintain the continuity of the images in correct successive order.

2. The process of producing colored photographic films consisting in producing a transparent positive film sheet with a series of consecutive images arranged in parallel strips, subjecting all of the images of the sheet to simultaneous printing to appropriately color each image by a uniform pressure contact u on all the receiving face of the sheet severing the sheet to separate the strips and joining the strips endwise to each other to provide a strip film with the images of all of the strips in correct continuity. I

3. The process of producing colored photographic films consisting in producing a transparent positive sheet with a series of photographicpicture images arranged in parallel strips, subjecting all of the images of the sheet to simultaneous printing upon all of the surface of the images to apply coloring matter thereto to appropriately color each image, whereby uniform color distribution is obtained, then severing the strips, and then joining the severed strips in correct image continuity.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass.

ALEXIS P. KENNIS. 

